Tenants Of BK's 'Eco-Yogi Slumlords' Seek To Join City Lawsuit

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Former tenants of landlords who have become known as the "eco-yogi slumlords" of Brooklyn are hoping to join in on a city lawsuit against the property owners.

Legal groups helping the former 1214 Dean St. tenants said they will file a motion Wednesday afternoon to ask to become co-plaintiffs on the City of New York's lawsuit, which was filed in November against Gennaro Brooks-Church and Loretta Gendville for the aggressive eviction attempt over the summer.

Brooks-Church and Gendville are accused of breaking eviction and anti-harrassment laws when they barged in and tried to kick out tenants in July, ultimately leaving at least four tenants with nowhere to go in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

"They lost their homes in a deeply manipulative and cruel way despite the numerous measures put in place that were supposed to protect them," organizer with Brooklyn Movement Center Michael Higgins said at a press conference Tuesday. "We are thankful these two are finally getting their day in court…[but] we also want to acknowledge the victims."

The motion, which the city will need to approve, will make it so tenants can get any compensation and the restitution that stems from the lawsuit, Higgins said. It will be filed by TakeRoot Justice, which along with BMC and Equality for Flatbush have helped the tenants the past few months.

The lawsuit — one of two that has been filed against Brooks-Church and Gendville — comes months after the initial stand-off between the activists, tenants and the landlords.

Tenants say Brooks-Church and Gendville barged in unannounced, pets, kids and locksmiths in tow, and tried to kick them out to move their own family in.

The eventual eviction left tenants, including a woman who was recovering from brain surgery, searching for a new place to live during the height of the coronavirus crisis.

Jamila, the woman who had brain surgery, said she eventually found a new place to live that costs twice as much and had to foot the bill for expensive moving costs since she couldn't lift her own belongings when she was forced to move out.

"I should not be here today, I should be at home recovering and preparing for chemotherapy," she said Tuesday. "I need to be here in order to pursue restitution for what I have lost in this process in order to help me get on my feet."

Brooks-Church, who owns a "living plant wall" business, has denied his tenant's allegations.

"This is absolutely untrue," Brooks-Church told The Post at the time. "I'm a white male. I'm being demonized for being a white male."

He did not respond to a request from Patch about the lawsuit on Wednesday.

Gendville, who owns the property with Brooks-Church, is also a prominent Brooklyn business owner. She runs Area Kids, which has stores, yoga studios and vegan eateries in Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Park Slope.

The Law Department did not immediately respond about whether they plan to accept the motion.